Usually when I photograph slabbing reefbreak waves I'm sitting on a jet ski with a buddy driving and making sure I'm out of harm's way when the bigger sets roll through. This week that was a luxury I didn't have. Instead it was just me floating around off the southern end of New Zealand finning around a crazy wild reef with the shore a long swim, way off in the distance.
I ended up here with two of the most promising young paddle surfers in the south: Sam Wallace and Charlie Cox. They're 18 and 17 respectively, but have been bitten by the big wave and slab surfing bug. Between them they've notched up more experience than most surfers twice their age. Joining us is Ché Bliss on his first attempt at a southern slab wave and Bradley Leydon – he's the safety guy and land-based photographer on the beach.
Beginning three hours before first light we headed deep into the Catlins in search of the remote wave. We stopped by to check a beach that was firing – a 9.5 out of 10. Not quite what we wanted, but a promising indicator. At the end of a seldom-travelled gravel road we found our peak – a frothing monster foaming and spitting at the mouth.
The lurching peak is barely paddleable – usually the reserve of tow surfers – but that doesn't stop the lads trying. They pay the price on more than a few and notch up some long hold-downs and take a few sets directly on the head. The swell angle isn't quite right, but we paddle to shore with a few extra notches of experience and knowledge about this extraordinary wave. That'll come in handy next time we get lost deep in the Catlins.
Lots of swell around this week as the first southerly system flows through. Here's your surf forecast.
See you at the beach ... Derek
PS We've got some new prints in the gallery including the first of our limited edition South Pacific Ocean Series. Come and check it out at 1 Dowling Street, Dunedin, or browse our latest New Zealand prints here.
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